Associated Independent Stores (AIS) may have turned 50, but some of its Member businesses are much, much older – and it’s telling how relevant the buying group has become to them. For our special anniversary supplement celebrating 50 years of AIS, Furniture News asked the principals of some of these long-established retailers why they value this relationship …
With a heritage of 50 years – and roots going back as far as 1948 – AIS shares a history with many of the UK’s most storied independent furniture retailers, and has worked closely with the sector through the years to achieve mutual success.
The original 12 retailers who joined that amalgamation in 1976 were: Walker & Ling; Hatcher & Sons; Goulds (Dorchester); Austins Newton Abbot; John Sanders; Roys (Wroxham); Oldrid & Co; WJ Aldiss; Tudor Williams; ET Harvey; Jarrold & Sons; and R Barbour & Sons.
Readers will be familiar with those Members still flourishing today, and many others whose histories date back long before the buying group’s inception – such as Oldrids (est. 1804), Bradbeers (est. 1837), Stokers (est. 1895), Gillies of Broughty Ferry (ext. 1895), Fishpools (est. 1899), Hopewells (est. 1885), Rodgers of York (est. 1890), Ponsfords (est. 1893), Hatfields Furnishers of Stanway (est. 1886), JW Tasker & Son (est. 1896), Julian & Son (est. 1862) and Woods of Dorchester (est. 1875).
Thanks to AIS, many of these long-established businesses – often linchpins of their local communities – continue to have a voice across the wider industry. Darryl Simpson, the MD of WJ Aldiss (est. 1892), for example, currently serves as chair of the AIS board.
Having served more than 460 Member companies over its 50 years, the buying group now boasts some 225 active members (including retailers within its Flooring One division), and the business processed through AIS’ CENPAC platform equates to some £14b.
Joined-up thinking
Many Members have fond memories of their time working with AIS, and the managers of these businesses – often family members several generations down the line from their founding – recognise the role it has played in their success.
One such retailer is Sarah Bianchi, the CEO is Macclesfield’s Arighi Bianchi, a business that dates back to 1854, and joined AIS in 2000.
“My brother was instrumental in the decision to join, primarily because he recognised the practical and financial advantages of the CENPAC central payment facility,” she explains. “It provided a more efficient way to manage payments to our AIS suppliers while also offering the wider commercial benefits available through the group.”
What may have initially been a practical financial decision evolved over the years into a wider relationship encompassing buying opportunities, exclusive products, specialist insight, networking, and access to an experienced team which understands independent retail, she adds.
For Michael Roome, director of Roomes Furniture & Interiors of Upminster (est. 1888), the decision to join was made long before his time, in 1979, and reflected a desire to make greater progress.
“It was a time when there was change afoot in the business – my uncle retiring, my brother starting, and a need for the business to move forward,” he says.
Peter Harding, the MD of Fairway Furniture (established in 1856 as J Harding & Sons) – the largest independent furniture retailer in the South West, with stores in Plymouth, Newton Abbot, Tavistock and St Austell – says his father’s decision to join AIS was influenced by his experiences with its forerunner.
“Our company was part of Floreat, the furniture and flooring buying group, which in 1987 merged with AIS,” he explains. “As a growing independent business in the 1970 and early 1980s, my father John Harding saw the benefit of collaborative buying to help smaller businesses compete with their multiple competitors, which continued into our membership of AIS. We were fully committed members of Floreat, and I remember visits as a child to their offices in Yorkshire during school holidays while visiting relatives.”
Added benefits
Sarah, Michael and Peter all agree that the benefits of membership extend beyond a buying group’s strength in numbers.
“The benefits of being an AIS Member are multi-faceted and span both the financial and ‘softer’ advantages of being part of a mutual association,” says Peter Harding. “From a financial perspective, the provision of the CENPAC invoice-processing function means we can be far more efficient within our administration function and use the data provided to ensure we have the very best information for purchasing decisions. Alongside this, the Member exclusives and preferred pricing available to Members adds valuable gross margin benefit, thus helping bottom line performance.
“The non-financial benefits come from having the opportunity to meet other independent retailers, share experiences and glean information that you would otherwise have to work hard to obtain,” she adds. “Whether that’s a quick tip on a range that’s doing well, a new supplier worth checking out, or non-product help with anything from print suppliers to in-store music licencing.”
For Michael Roome, AIS membership overcomes the feeling of isolation businesses working within specific sectors can experience: “We are not alone! Networking is an essential part of being Members – being able to pick up the phone to like-minded people from similar businesses and talk through common problems.
“The AIS team are there for us as well on product, exclusives, shows, support services and of course the clearing house services via CENPAC,” he notes.
Sarah Bianchi believes her business benefits from being an AIS Member in many ways, its value extending far beyond the INDX shows and CENPAC payment facility.
“The less-visible benefits are just as valuable,” she says. “AIS' partnership with trend forecasting company Scarlet Opus gives members access to extremely detailed insight and practical retail guidance. The reports go far beyond forecasting colours and materials – they explore changing consumer behaviour and how trends can be translated into buying, merchandising, marketing, staff development and the overall customer experience. Accessing research of this depth independently would represent a significant investment, and I find it an invaluable and extremely interesting resource.
“Another important – but less visible – benefit is the work AIS undertakes to represent independent retailers. Through co-ordinated lobbying with organisations including the British Independent Retailers Association (bira), the British Retail Consortium (BRC) and Family Business UK, Members' concerns can form part of a much stronger collective voice. For an individual retailer, it can be difficult to make your voice heard at Government level, so this advocacy and the regular updates provided by AIS are extremely important.”
People power
For each retailer, the benefits they (and their forerunners) have enjoyed have been adapted to meet the changing demands of the sector and customer – yet there is one which stands out and makes a real difference in their day-to-day business.
For Michael, that is having the backup of the AIS team and general operation – a resource he says is essential to his business. For Sarah, too, it is about having access to knowledgeable people with whom she can discuss ideas openly and ask for practical advice.
“A recent example was the support [category manager] Rachel Cooper gave me when I was thinking about opening a new department at Arighi Bianchi,” she says. “The department is now planned, the furniture has been ordered, and it will be open by the time this supplement is published. Rachel’s informed input was extremely valuable, and she was a great impartial sounding board!”
From Peter’s personal perspective, having the opportunity to be part of a mutual association and having the chance to meet and serve on the AIS and CENPAC boards “with some fantastic people is hard to beat”, he explains. “I have made countless very good friends among fellow Members, visited so many incredible retailers and learned so much from my peers.”
Growing together
Given the length of its history and the changes the industry has seen in that time, each Member’s relationship with the group has changed over time. Some of these changes reflect evolving demands, while others can be attributed to each principal’s personal approach.
Michael says his relationship with AIS has changed over time with the evolving retail landscape in general, “but it is as strong and important as ever”.
Peter recalls the days before he took the helm at Fairway Furniture, and how his father’s example paved the way for a relationship that is both progressive and robust.
“Ever since my father took our business into Floreat – before it merged with AIS – our we have always believed that membership of a mutual association should be a two-way relationship,” he says. “You should always be prepared to put as much into it as you wish to take from it. From my father’s time, serving several periods as AIS chairman, to my time on the main board – and more recently the CENPAC board – we have tried to give back to the organisation, help it grow and to face the challenges of retailing in a very different world.
“As AIS has changed since we joined in 1987, so has our relationship with it. Services it provides to Members have come and gone as the retailing landscape has evolved, and some of the collaborative buying initiatives that were the cornerstone of the organisation in the 1990s and into the 2000s have had to move with the times too.
“However, the core function of AIS to our business – providing a means to compete with much larger multiples through product and non-product benefits – remains the same.”
Sarah says her relationship with AIS has also developed considerably over the years. “Initially, it was primarily through Arighi Bianchi's membership – attending the furniture shows, working with the buying team and benefiting from the group's services and supplier relationships,” she explains. “But in July 2024, I joined the AIS board as a non-executive director, which has given me a much broader understanding of the organisation and the diverse independent retailers it supports.
“It has been particularly rewarding to contribute my own perspective as a fourth-generation independent retailer, while learning from others across the membership. My involvement has moved from using and appreciating the benefits of AIS within our own business to playing a part in its wider strategy and future direction.”
Retail relevance
AIS’ Members all recognise that the furniture industry continues to evolve. New routes to market, product sourcing opportunities, regulatory and financial landscapes and ever-evolving consumer demand make it impossible for these long-established businesses to stand still, no matter their heritage – and AIS continually strives to make its offer relevant, whatever the backdrop.
“The independent retail sector is without doubt under the greatest pressure since the end of the Second World War when many, like us, had to rebuild businesses destroyed by bombing,” says Peter Harding. “Consumer habits are changing rapidly, driven by a technological revolution that affects not just the way they shop, but their expectations of retailers.
“Allied to this is the harm being done to high streets and wider retail by Government policy that simply doesn’t understand or appreciate the importance of a vibrant retail sector – independent and multiple – to the UK economy. From excessive Business Rates to National Insurance increases that are throttling growth, to Minimum Wage rises that don’t reflect the wider economic reality and online giants that pay almost no tax, the UK has a climate incredibly unhelpful to AIS Members, big and small.
“AIS has had to adapt and change just as much as its Members have – be that from making its INDX trade shows open to non-members, to pursuing more diverse revenue streams. The biggest challenge, however, is that smaller independent businesses are finding it increasingly difficult to continue, and that means fewer Members (and potential new Members). Mutual associations like AIS have never been needed more – as a voice for independent business, and to provide guidance and services that can make the difference between success and failure.”
Michael Roome adds that AIS offers timely advice and product showcases, helping him keep abreast of a changing trade: “Clearly digital has a massive impact, together with changing customer habits … few things are predictable in the patterns of trade, but AIS do help with insights into the latest trends, as well as highlight opportunities for us at trade shows. Store visits also help, by giving us feedback.”
Sarah Bianchi agrees that the insights her membership unlocks are valuable, and reflective of an organisation that is more than just a buying group.
“The retail sector is now operating in an increasingly complex environment,” she says. “Consumer expectations have changed – customers now expect more inspiration, expertise and a seamless shopping experience, alongside excellent products and value. This makes access to timely insight and strong supplier relationships more important than ever.
“And AIS is evolving with those needs. The INDX shows and buying services remain important, but its role is now much broader – supporting members with trend and consumer insight, retail strategy, operational services, advocacy and opportunities to learn from one another.
“The challenge for AIS is not only to continue developing these benefits, but also to help Members understand and use the full range of support already available to them. The strength of the organisation lies in helping independent retailers thrive individually while acting collectively where scale, expertise and influence matter.”
Shared history
AIS’ membership may comprise many of the UK’s finest independent furniture retailers, with histories much longer than its own – but the group itself has become a valued partner for numerous well-established businesses, and it has grown alongside them, adapting to their needs and a changing marketplace.
As well as the collective buying power and financial services membership unlocks, the access to specialist knowledge and support – covering everything from product development to consumer trends – makes being part of this exclusive club a rewarding experience.
On a personal level, Peter, Michael and Sarah, alongside many other industry leaders, have benefited greatly from the partnership, and each has fond memories of their time spent working with AIS.
Michael shares one such highlight: “Soon after joining the business (1985!) it was suggested that I go to the management development group meetings organised by AIS, held over (usually) two days at different businesses around the country. I got to meet many new people in a similar position to me, starting out their careers in the family business.”
Sarah shares a treasured memory of her own: “I have attended a few of the regional meetings, which are always a more informal way to meet other members and visit other stores. The most recent one I attended was in Lytham, which launched the golden regional meeting series. The celebrations began with a very lively dinner, and the following day we visited the wonderful Stringers department store. I then had the privilege of hosting a fireside chat with David Austin of Austins of Newton Abbot, one of AIS' founding businesses. It really was a very memorable couple of days.”
Peter says he has many great memories of working with AIS from his 31 years in the family business, “some of which are even suitable for print! Be they the valuable management development courses I attended organised by AIS, where I met people who became lifelong friends, to the conferences where I got to hear fantastic speakers from among the membership and the wider business world, my life in retail is dotted with AIS-related stories”.
But his fondest memory was of an AIS conference at the Forest of Arden. “The after-dinner speaker was Gyles Brandreth, and he had the room in the palm of his hand,” Peter recounts. “His abilities as a raconteur are well known, but his ability to assimilate his stories to the people in the room he had met during the evening were superb. It is still one of the best after-dinner speeches I have ever heard.”
It is telling that AIS membership can deliver such unforgettable moments alongside consistent and creative business support. At 50 years of age, the buying group is still young in the context of some of its Members – but in its lifetime it has become inseparable from their operations and histories. And if the experiences shared by these three retail leaders are anything to go by, there are many more years of successful partnership to come.
Read more about the history and membership of AIS in our 50th anniversary supplement.
Pictured: Peter Harding, Sarah Bianchi and Michael Roome
